Herb Butter for Roasted Turkey
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This Herb Butter for Roasted Turkey combines softened butter with fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage to create a flavorful coating for roasted turkey. Spread the herb butter under the skin and over the outside of the bird to season the meat and help the skin become golden and flavorful as it roasts.
If you love this recipe, you should try it in my Juicy Roast Turkey Breast and Thanksgiving Turkey.
Quick Look: Herb Butter for Roasted Turkey
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Servings: Enough for approximately one 15-pound turkey
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free, vegetarian
- Method: Mix and spread
- Technique: Rub the herb butter on top of the turkey and under the skin before roasting to flavor the meat and to help the skin crisp nicely.
- Flavor & Texture: This herb butter has a wonderful flavor from the chopped fresh herbs, which pairs perfectly with turkey, chicken, or steak.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I love using this herb butter when roasting turkey because it gives the meat plenty of fresh herb flavor without requiring a complicated seasoning mixture. Spreading the butter underneath the skin is my favorite part because it puts the herbs and seasoning closer to the meat while the skin roasts beautifully on top.
It’s a simple but impactful step to enhance your turkey’s overall flavor and texture! You can also use it on Roasted Chicken or Steak.
Made With Amore,
“Made this for Thanksgiving and now again for Christmas, super easy but what a difference it makes!”
– Kim
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
This turkey butter rub uses softened butter, fresh herbs, and a few seasonings to create a flavorful coating for roasted turkey.
- Unsalted Butter: The base of the herb butter, it melts into the turkey, keeping it moist and flavorful, while also helping to crisp up the skin.
- Salt: Kosher salt enhances the natural flavors of the turkey and helps season the meat evenly.
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper: Adds a subtle heat and depth, balancing out the richness of the butter.
- Fresh Herbs: Feel free to use a variety of fresh herbs, especially those from your herb garden. Any combination of herbs makes a tasty herb butter! I love using a blend of fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Citrus Herb Butter: Add lemon or orange zest and a splash of juice for a bright, tangy flavor. This works especially well with poultry or fish, like my Oven Baked Cod or Baked Flounder.
- Garlic Butter: Mix in fresh minced garlic for a more robust, savory flavor. Great for roasted meats (like this Roasted Leg of Lamb) and vegetables.
- Spicy Herb Butter: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, or cayenne for a bit of heat.
- Mixed Herb Butter: Use a blend of different herbs like parsley, tarragon, or dill for a unique flavor twist. You can even use my Homemade Italian Seasoning!
How to Make Herb Butter for Turkey
This easy homemade herb butter comes together in a few easy steps. See the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for more instructions.
Make the Herb Butter
- Add all the ingredients for the herb butter to a bowl. Be sure to use softened butter!
- Stir until well combined. The herb butter is ready to use!
Put the Herb Butter on a Turkey
For more on turkey baking information, see my complete guide for How to Make Thanksgiving Turkey.
- Pat the turkey dry with a paper towel.
- Gently loosen the turkey skin from the meat and rub a generous amount of the herb butter under the skin and all over the outside of the turkey.
- This ensures a crispy, golden skin and infuses the meat with flavor.
- Your herb-roasted turkey is ready to bake. Don’t forget to baste it with pan drippings while it cooks for extra moisture! Use the drippings for Homemade Turkey Gravy, and enjoy leftovers in these Leftover Turkey Tacos.
Turkey Herb Butter FAQs
This recipe makes approximately enough herb butter to generously season a 15-pound turkey. For a smaller turkey, you may not need all of the butter. The amount you use will depend on the size of the turkey and how generously you apply the butter under and over the skin.
Spreading herb butter underneath the skin puts the herbs and seasoning directly against the meat rather than leaving all of the flavor on the surface. As the turkey roasts, the butter melts over the breast meat while the skin protects the herbs and develops a golden, flavorful exterior.
When substituting dried herbs for fresh herb butter, use this simple guideline: Use one-third the amount of dried herbs compared to fresh herbs since dried herbs are more concentrated in flavor. For example: 1 tablespoon fresh = 1 teaspoon dried. Rub the dried herbs between your fingers before mixing them into the butter to release more of their oils and flavor.
You can prepare the herb butter up to 5 days ahead and store it in the refrigerator. Bring it to room temperature before using. To store, freeze herb butter in an airtight freezer-safe container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before using it.
Serving Suggestions
This herb butter makes the Perfect Roasted Turkey for any special holiday gathering! You can also try using this in this Roasted Whole Chicken recipe. Serve the turkey with my family favorite side dishes, like my Hasselback Sweet Potatoes, Stuffing, Red Skin Mashed Potatoes, and Fall Harvest Salad.
My Pro Tips
Expert Tips
- Use softened butter: Softened butter blends easily with the herbs and spreads smoothly without tearing the turkey skin.
- Pat the turkey dry: Removing excess moisture helps the butter spread evenly and encourages better browning.
- Get the butter under the skin: Gently loosen the skin and spread the herb butter directly over the breast meat for more flavor in every slice.
- Work gently: Take your time when loosening the skin so it stays intact and gives you enough space to spread the butter evenly.
Other Thanksgiving Recipes You’ll Love
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Herb Butter for Turkey
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1½ teaspoons fresh sage, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest, from 1 lemon; optional
Instructions
- Mix the softened butter with minced garlic, chopped herbs, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and lemon juice (if using). Be sure to stir until everything is evenly mixed.
- Gently loosen the turkey skin from the meat and rub a generous amount of the herb butter under the skin and all over the outside of the turkey. This ensures a crispy, golden skin, and infuses the meat with flavor.
- Roast the turkey according to your favorite recipe. I recommend my roasted Thanksgiving turkey recipe!
Notes
- Use softened butter: Softened butter blends easily with the herbs and spreads smoothly without tearing the turkey skin.
- Pat the turkey dry: Removing excess moisture helps the butter spread evenly and encourages better browning.
- Get the butter under the skin: Gently loosen the skin and spread the herb butter directly over the breast meat for more flavor in every slice.
- Work gently: Take your time when loosening the skin so it stays intact and gives you enough space to spread the butter evenly.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What size turkey is this good for?
About 15 pounds. With that said you can always make a little more for larger, or slather a little extra for a smaller turkey. Here is the recipe I recommend: https://www.cucinabyelena.com/easy-thanksgiving-turkey-recipe. Enjoy!
When i jump to the recipe, under instructions, it says mix the softened butter with minced garlic, and I did add about a teaspoon of minced garlic. I will say, though, that even if I had not added the garlic, the recipe was superb! I tried it on chicken first to see if I would like the flavor for my Thanksgiving turkey and I will definitely be using it for my turkey!
Sorry about that mistake! I am happy you loved it!!
the garlic and the amount was not on the ingredients list
This recipe does not use garlic, this is because it could burn while the turkey roasts. You can use garlic powder if you like!
Made this for Thanksgiving and now again for Christmas, super easy but what a difference it makes!
Yay! So happy you love this method.
that turkey ๐ฆ looks so delicious and tender yummy ๐๐ gotta try that for Christmas ๐